New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-11-30
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PAkAbIsE A Novel: By LLOYD 8. BRYCE 16no
pp. IT, Funk wagHals
MIR Crawford's new book is much moro a study
than stOrv aud it is a very clever study. The
action covers hut couple of days; there is next to
10 plot; the dramatis persone are few; the events
are comparatively Insignificant; but good deal
of very artistic work has bee1 pot into the SKETCH
and this work tells. The study is of a peculiar
ill-cOndltoned characters that, namely, OF al
Italian sllverwOrker whose atrabllous tempera-
ment has led hun to adopt the most violent poti-
cal doctrines who is from the lips outward
Communist and Anarchist; who. while
deriving his livelihood from the Church for
whose princes he creates wonderful sacred yes
sells aud cruc fxes thunders continually against
sacerdotalism who has a brother priest, and who
hates this good bro her who is torn In many d.
Iectons by his passions, is inconsistent, weak. OBJ
stinate cruel, ~ardy by turns. Clearly very
difficult character to deal with fifty, but Mr.. Craw-
ford has achieved the hard task. His Mario is not
at all an agreeable person. but he a aud not
lay-fgure HIS con rarety, his passionate ont
breaks, his perverse antpathes, his Inconsistent
living aud talking, his physical poltrOonery. all are
set forth with skill and TACT deserving warm
praise. ThefneSt touch in the study is MarZios
murderous impulse ana its sequence. The scene in
winch, while standing behind his hated brother
the cleaning of the iater's t0usu"e attracts his
eye at the moment when the hand In his pocket
falls upon possible weapon. is fine. One feels the
suspense of the nicely poised contingencies keenly.
And afterward when tho back-tempered artist,
clone IN his workshop ponders the imagined
crime and goes through all the processes of con-
cealment and watchfulness, the psychologist
analysis is powerful In the accident which so
nearly brings the priest subsequently to the death
his wicked brother had conpassed on Inn IN fancy.
it seems just poss BILE that the author has limited at
O belief held by students of occultlsm,
10 the effect that the malim Will may,
when energetically exerted. bring about the
evil wished for. Such a belief is indeed
common to all classes in Italy, where
the dread Of the istuiura is even IN these DAYS
escaped by comparatively few. The analytic parts
of Mr.. era Words work have not been elaborated
at the expense of the descriptive. Much pains
have been bestowed upon the latter, aud several
scenes such as the artist and his apprentice at
work II the studio. finished IN careful detali
and constitute finished genre pictures. "MarzIo's
Cruelty" is, as a whole. good and conscientious
work
Kathleen O'Meara's Russian story presents no
remarkable features. The scenes of Russian life
are not much vivid and distinctive than
Madame Grevllles MuscOvitc sketches. Narka, the
heroine is one of the se,f-abnegating Young per-
sons encountered often in fiction and seldom
anywhere else. The Nihlism OF the tale Is very
mIld-favored indeed and might easily have been
evolved from the inner consciousness of the author
who does not appear TO have enjoyed special
oppOri unites for acquiring Information either
from the archives of the Third Section the bps
of gcnuIne conspiratOrs. Indeed. she scarcely ap
pears TO realize the enormltv from orthodox
Russian point Of view of the notion of ally
ing the heir noble Russian family with
pennlless Jewess. No wonder Bas's sister was
horror-strpck by the idea. Such ntsalliance
might have well excused the old Prince FOR even
the radical preventive measure of Imprisonment.
Setting aside improbaDiities the story IS we'll and
smoothly told, though /. may perhaps be objected
that the device of consolng Tilted girls with
brilliant career on the operate stage is little
hackneyed
"The Last Won Reckenburg" is that nfrequent
production an interesting German novel. There |
is true genius it, and this is shown in the vivid
ness Of the drawing. the arrangement of the mar
ratve. and the discrimination of the characters
The life described is for the most part Saxon, and
the picture of humdrum existence III the little
garrison town is full OF those subtle touches which
reveal the artistic sense of observation aud inter-
probation. Much of the story reads like some pages
from memoirs of German margravInes or
marsraves The aroma of vanished period en-
anates from the descriptions. Perhaps III her
character drawing the author has erred through
excess of originality, the number Of remarkable
people in the book being above the average. Dr.
Faber is the best conceived of these abnormal per
sOnages. though the Black Countess VI Reckenburg
IS certainly an excellent portrait The heroine
her~elf is quite satisfactory. though
1t must be admitted that the unnatural life to
which she Is destined must have affected her
character. aud would probably have both hardened
aud saddened her Dorothea. the weak little
beauty, is a striking figure charmingy and deli
cately set forth, and natural even III her funda-
mental defects The novel is decidedly unconven-
tobal and fresh. and the authors style, even IN
translation, appears equally vigorous. tersc and
pure The tone is wholesome throughout, and
while no didactc purpose is oDtruded there is a
moral to it which is as sound as it is subtly
conveyed.
Mr. Roe has taken the Charles ton earthquake as
the central episode a story of sectional animosi
ties overcome by the good feeling which common
misfortune elcits The examples given of South
erD unrec instructed sentiments are perhaps some
what exaggerated, but it necessary to put he
hatred Of the North in strong relief III order to get
the desired emphasis for the reconciliation. The
rabd expressions are, 1t is true, confined almost
wholly to southern women, who NAV be supposed
in gwen circumstances. to he more conservative
and less capable of adaptation than the men, SuIl
there Ia q certain anachronism In the prominence
gwen To these instances of survival The author
has used the history of the earthquake skiifuy,
and tne description Of its effect III Charleston aud
OF the painful period OF suspense winch followed
the earlier and more destructive shocks rs strong
and animated. Tho account of the gradual level
ling down of the old and prejudice against
the North under the generous behavior of Northern